July 26, 1982: Day that changed Amitabh Bachchan’s life and gave India his iconic Sunday greetings | Exclusive
Mumbai: One of the most defining moments in Amitabh Bachchan’s life and in the history of Hindi cinema came on July 26, 1982, when the superstar suffered a near-fatal accident while shooting for Coolie. It is an incident that united millions of fans in prayer across the country. In an exclusive conversation with News9 Digital, veteran film journalist Dilip Thakur revisits the tragic day, Bachchan’s remarkable recovery and the extraordinary public response that followed.
“July 26, 1982. A day no Hindi film fan can ever forget,” says veteran film journalist Dilip Thakur while recalling Amitabh Bachchan’s near-fatal accident during the shooting of Coolie.
Bachchan was filming an action sequence with Puneet Issar for director Manmohan Desai in Bangalore. As he attempted to dodge a punch and leap onto a table, the timing went wrong. The sharp corner of the table struck his abdomen, leaving him with severe internal injuries. He was first admitted to a hospital in Bangalore before being shifted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital.
Recalling a little-known detail, Thakur says there was no ambulance long enough to accommodate the 6’2” actor after he landed at Santa Cruz Airport. According to him, an ambulance belonging to the Girgaon Shiv Sena Branch No. 19 was arranged to transport Bachchan to Breach Candy Hospital.
As news of Bachchan’s critical condition spread, the entire country united in prayer. Thousands gathered outside the hospital every day, while prayers were offered in temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras across India. “People wanted only one thing, that Amitabh Bachchan should recover,” Thakur says. A photograph of Bachchan leaving the hospital after his recovery, looking visibly weak and frail, left fans deeply emotional.
Thakur recalls that Bachchan resumed shooting in the first week of 1983 at Chandivali Studio. Publicist Prakash Pange invited the media because shooting was resuming from the very scene where the accident had taken place. Manmohan Desai, Prakash Mehra, Rakesh Kumar and several members of the film fraternity were present to welcome him back on the set.
When Coolie was released in December 1983, the film paused at the exact moment where Bachchan had been injured. A message appeared on screen informing audiences that the superstar had suffered a life-threatening accident while filming that scene. “Many critics called it an emotional gimmick,” Thakur notes, “but audiences embraced the film wholeheartedly.” Coolie went on to become one of the year’s biggest blockbusters and completed a 50-week theatrical run.
According to Thakur, Bachchan’s recovery also gave rise to a tradition that continues to this day. Grateful for the prayers and support he had received from millions of fans, Bachchan began greeting well-wishers every Sunday from the window of his bungalow, Prateeksha. The ritual later shifted to Jalsa, where it continues even today.
Thakur also recounts an incident at the mahurat of Ganga Jamuna Saraswati at Natraj Studio. Puneet Issar, then an unknown actor, was stopped by security guards and denied entry. He had to explain that he had worked with Manmohan Desai on Coolie before he was finally allowed inside. The film was initially announced with Amitabh Bachchan, Rishi Kapoor and Mithun Chakraborty, although Rishi Kapoor left the project within a week.
He also points out an interesting box-office coincidence. Subhash Ghai’s Hero, starring Jackie Shroff, was released just two weeks after Coolie. However, because Coolie was enjoying phenomenal collections across the country, Hero took another two weeks to build momentum before eventually becoming a blockbuster itself.